U.S. patent application number 14/208517 was filed with the patent office on 2014-07-10 for ultrasound probe.
This patent application is currently assigned to KONICA MINOLTA, INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is KONICA MINOLTA, INC.. Invention is credited to Yoshiki KATOU.
Application Number | 20140194739 14/208517 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47293736 |
Filed Date | 2014-07-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140194739 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KATOU; Yoshiki |
July 10, 2014 |
ULTRASOUND PROBE
Abstract
An ultrasound probe includes a receiving section to receive
ultrasound waves from an object and to acquire a receiving signal
of each of multiple channels; a beam forming section to adjust a
phase of the receiving signal of each of multiple channels and to
sum the receiving signals; an image producing section to produce
image data to display an ultrasound diagnostic image based on the
receiving signals summed by the beam forming section; a
transmission target selecting section to select one from at least
two of the receiving signal for each of multiple channels, the
receiving signals summed by the beam forming section, and the image
data as a transmission target; and a transmitting section to
transmit the transmission target selected by the transmission
target selecting section.
Inventors: |
KATOU; Yoshiki; (Tokyo,
JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
KONICA MINOLTA, INC. |
Tokyo |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
47293736 |
Appl. No.: |
14/208517 |
Filed: |
March 13, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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13486279 |
Jun 1, 2012 |
|
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14208517 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
600/447 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B 8/4472 20130101;
A61B 8/4483 20130101; A61B 8/467 20130101; G01S 7/5208 20130101;
A61B 8/461 20130101; G01S 7/003 20130101; A61B 8/4405 20130101;
G01S 7/52096 20130101; A61B 8/145 20130101; A61B 8/56 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
600/447 |
International
Class: |
A61B 8/00 20060101
A61B008/00; A61B 8/14 20060101 A61B008/14 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 7, 2011 |
JP |
2011-126856 |
Claims
1. A method for an ultrasound probe, which (i) is operable to (a)
receive ultrasound waves from an object and to acquire a receiving
signal of each of multiple channels, (b) adjust a phase of the
receiving signal of each of the multiple channels and to sum the
receiving signals, and (c) produce image data to display an
ultrasound diagnostic image based on the summed receiving signals,
and (ii) is operable to selectively transmit one of at least two
which are selectable of (a) the receiving signal for each of the
multiple channels, (b) the summed receiving signals, and (c) the
image data, the method comprising: selecting, as a transmission
target, one of said at least two of the receiving signal for each
of the multiple channels, the summed receiving signals, and the
image data; and transmitting the selected transmission target.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selecting of the
transmission target is performed in accordance with an operation by
an operator of the ultrasound probe.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selection of the
transmission target is performed in accordance with a remaining
quantity of electricity in a battery of the ultrasound probe.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selection of the
transmission target is performed in accordance with a transmitting
condition between the ultrasound probe and an ultrasound image
diagnostic apparatus main body which is a transmission destination
of the transmission target.
5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: receiving a
transmission target designating signal from an ultrasound image
diagnostic apparatus main body which is a transmission destination
of the transmission target, wherein the selection of the
transmission target is performed in accordance with the received
transmission target designating signal.
6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: receiving
specification information of an ultrasound image diagnostic
apparatus main body which is a transmission destination of the
transmission target, wherein the selection of the transmission
target is performed in accordance with the received specification
information.
7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: in
accordance with the selected transmission target, limiting a supply
of power in the ultrasound probe for at least one of (i) adjusting
the phase of the receiving signal of each of the multiple channels
and summing the receiving signals, and (ii) producing the image
data to display the ultrasound diagnostic image based on the summed
receiving signals.
8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: in
accordance with the selected transmission target, changing a
frequency of an operation clock supplied for at least one of (i)
adjusting the phase of the receiving signal of each of the multiple
channels and summing the receiving signals, and (ii) producing the
image data to display the ultrasound diagnostic image based on the
summed receiving signals, from a prescribed driving frequency to a
prescribed standby frequency that is lower than the driving
frequency.
9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving signal
for each of the multiple channels, the receiving signals summed by
the beam forming section, and the image data are different in data
format and data size from each other.
10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the summed receiving
signals are sound ray data.
Description
[0001] This is a Divisional of U.S. application Ser. No.
13/486,279, filed Jun. 1, 2012, which is based on Japanese Patent
Application No. 2011-126856, filed Jun. 7, 2011, the entire
contents of both of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to an ultrasound probe.
[0003] Conventionally, known ultrasound image diagnostic
apparatuses of a wireless type are configured to wirelessly
transmit ultrasound wave data acquired by an ultrasound probe to an
apparatus main body.
[0004] In such an ultrasound image diagnostic apparatus, an
ultrasound probe being a transmission source converts the acquired
ultrasound wave data into a prescribed data format capable of being
processed in an apparatus body being a transmission destination,
and then the converted ultrasound wave data are transmitted to the
apparatus main body (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined
Patent Publication No. 2009-291515).
[0005] However, in the technique described in the above patent
document, the data format transmitted by the ultrasound probe is
predetermined in accordance with the specification of the device
body being a transmission destination. Accordingly, the ultrasound
probe deals with only the above device body or a device body with
the equivalent specification. Therefore, the ultrasound probe is
poor in general versatility.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide an
ultrasound probe which can be applied to ultrasound image
diagnostic apparatuses with various specifications and has high
general versatility.
[0007] In order to solve the above problems, in the invention
described in Item 1, an ultrasound probe includes: [0008] a
receiving section to receive ultrasound waves from an object and to
acquire a receiving signal of each of multiple channels; [0009] a
phasing and adding section to perform processing of phasing and
adding for the receiving signal of each of multiple channels;
[0010] an image producing section to produce image data to display
an ultrasound diagnostic image based on the receiving signals
having been subjected to the processing of phasing and adding;
[0011] a transmission target selecting section to select one from
at least two of the receiving signal for each of multiple channels,
the receiving signals having been subjected to the processing of
phasing and adding, and the image data as a transmission target;
and [0012] a transmitting section to transmit the transmission
target selected by the transmission target selecting section.
[0013] In the invention described in Item 2, in the ultrasound
probe described in Item 1, the ultrasound probe further includes a
changeover switch to allow an operator to perform changeover
operations, and the transmission target selecting section selects
the transmission target in accordance with an operation via the
changeover switch.
[0014] In the invention described in Item 3, in the ultrasound
probe described in Item 1, the ultrasound probe further includes a
battery as a power source to make respective sections of the
ultrasound probe to act, and the transmission target selecting
section selects the transmission target in accordance with a
remaining quantity of electricity in the battery.
[0015] In the invention described in Item 4, in the ultrasound
probe described in Item 1, the transmission target selecting
section selects the transmission target in accordance with a
transmitting condition between the transmitting section and an
ultrasound image diagnostic apparatus body which is a transmission
destination of the transmission target.
[0016] In the invention described in Item 5, in the ultrasound
probe described in Item 1, the ultrasound probe further includes a
transmission signal receiving section to receive a transmission
signal from an ultrasound image diagnostic apparatus body which is
a transmission destination of the transmission target, and when the
transmission signal receiving section receives a transmission
target designating signal to designate a transmission target from
the ultrasound image diagnostic apparatus body, the transmission
target selecting section selects the transmission target
corresponding to the received transmission target designating
signal.
[0017] In the invention described in Item 6, in the ultrasound
probe described in any one of Items 1 to 5, the ultrasound probe
further includes a power control section to select a limiting
target, to which supply of power is limited, from the phasing and
adding section and the image producing section based on the
transmission target selected by the transmission target selecting
section, and to limit supply of power for the selected limiting
target.
[0018] In the invention described in Item 7, in the ultrasound
probe described in any one of Items 1 to 5, the ultrasound probe
further includes an operation clock control section to select a
lowering target, to which a frequency of an operation clock is
lowered, from the phasing and adding section and the image
producing section based on the transmission target selected by the
transmission target selecting section, and to change a frequency of
an operation clock supplied to the selected lowering target from a
prescribed driving frequency to a prescribed standby frequency
being a lower frequency than the driving frequency.
[0019] According to the present invention, an ultrasound probe can
be configured to be applied to ultrasound image diagnostic
apparatuses with various specifications and to have high general
versatility.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an outer appearance
constitution of an ultrasound image diagnostic apparatus.
[0021] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an outline
constitution of an ultrasound probe.
[0022] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an outline
constitution of an ultrasound image diagnostic apparatus main
body.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0023] Hereafter, an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to
the embodiment of the present invention will be explained with
reference to a drawing. However, the scope of the invention is not
limited to the examples shown in the drawings. In the following
description, structural parts which have the same function and
structure to each other are provided with the same reference
symbols, and the description for them will be omitted.
[0024] As shown in FIG. 1, an ultrasound image diagnostic apparatus
S according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an
ultrasound image diagnostic apparatus main body 1 and a ultrasound
probe 2. The ultrasound probe 2 is configured to transmit
ultrasound waves (transmitted ultrasound waves) to samples, such as
a living body which is not illustrated, and to receive reflected
waves (reflected ultrasound waves: echo) of the ultrasound waves
reflected from this sample. Further, the ultrasound probe 2 is
configured to be able to transmit and receive data wirelessly to
and from the ultrasound image diagnostic apparatus main body 1. As
wireless communication systems, any known systems may be
employable. However, in this embodiment, for examples, a system
according to an international standard "IEEE802.11n" is employed.
The ultrasound probe 2 is configured to acquire reception signals
being electric signals from the received reflected ultrasound
waves, to convert the reception signals via A/D conversion into
data with a predetermined transmission format, and then to transmit
wirelessly the data to the ultrasound image diagnostic apparatus
main body 1. The ultrasound probe 2 includes a changeover switch 21
to allow an operator to perform changeover operations. The
changeover switch 21 is, for example, a slide switch. However, as
long as an operator can perform changeover operations, any type of
switches, such as limit switches, and toggle switches may be
employable.
[0025] The ultrasound image diagnostic apparatus main body 1 makes
an internal state of a sample images as an ultrasound diagnostic
image based on the data transmitted from the ultrasound probe 2,
and displays the images on a display 107. Moreover, the ultrasound
image diagnostic apparatus main body 1 is equipped with the
operation input section 108, and can carry out the radio
transmission of the information according to actuation of the
operation input section 108 to the ultrasound probe 2.
[0026] As shown in FIG. 2, the ultrasound probe 2 includes, for
example, a battery 201, a booster circuit 202, a transmitting
section 203, transducers 204, a receiving section 205, a beam
forming section 206, an envelope detecting section 207, a data
thinning section 208, a logarithm converting section 209, a
brightness converting section 210, a pixel interpolating section
211, an image memory 212, a transmission data changeover control
section 213, a transmission data producing section 214, a wireless
transmission and reception section 215, an antenna 216, and a
voltage and operation clock control section 217.
[0027] The battery 201 supplies a power source to respective
sections which constitute the ultrasound probe 2. For example, when
the ultrasound probe 2 is attached to a holder (not shown) of the
ultrasound diagnostic apparatus main body 1, an electric power is
supplied to the battery 201.
[0028] The booster circuit 202 is a circuit which is configured to
raise a power source voltage supplied from the battery 201 to a
voltage of 60 V to 150 V which can drive the ultrasound probe 2,
and to supply the raised power voltage to the transmitting section
203.
[0029] The transmitting section 203 is a circuit configured to
supply driving signals being electrical signals to the transducers
204, and to make the transducers 204 generate transmitting
ultrasound waves. The transducer 204 is composed of, for example, a
piezoelectric element, and a plurality of transducers 204 are
arranged in an one dimensional array form. After outputting
transmitting ultrasound waves, upon receipt of reflected ultrasound
waves, the transducer 204 outputs reception signals to the
receiving section 205. In this embodiment, for example, 192
transducers 204 are aligned. In this regard, the transducers may be
arranged in a two-dimensional array form. Further, the number of
transducers may be set up arbitrarily. Moreover, in this
embodiment, although a linear electronic scan probe is adopted as
the ultrasound probe 2, any type of an electronic scanning type or
a mechanical scanning manner may be adopted, and further any type
of a linear scan type, a sector scanning type and a convex scan
type may also be adopted. The transmitting section 203 includes,
for example, a transmitting BF (Beam Forming) control circuit, and
sets a delay time to a transmission timing of a driving signal for
each of individual passages corresponding to the respective
transducers, and focus a transmission beam composed of transmission
ultrasound waves by delaying transmission of respective driving
signals by the set delaying time.
[0030] The receiving section 205 includes an AMP (amplifier) 205a,
and an ADC (Analog to Digital Converter) 205b. A plurality of
receiving sections 205 are provided corresponding to the plurality
of transducers. The amplifier 205a is a circuit for amplifying the
reception signals with respective predetermined amplification rates
set beforehand for respective individual passages corresponding to
the respective transducers. The ADC 205b is configured to conduct
an A/D conversion for the amplified reception signals by sampling
with a predetermined frequency (for example, 60 MHz), and output
the converted reception signals.
[0031] In this embodiment, the transmitting and receiving section
2a is constituted by the booster circuit 202, the transmitting
section 203, the transducers 204, and the receiving section 205
which are constituted as mentioned above.
[0032] The beam forming section 206 adjusts timing phase of the
reception signals subjected to the A/D conversion by the ADC 205b
by providing a delay time for each of the individual passages
corresponding to the respective transducers, sums these signals so
as to produce sound ray data, and outputs the sound ray data. The
envelope detecting section 207 performs full wave rectification for
the sound ray data output from the beam forming section 206, and
obtains envelope data. The envelope detecting section 207 outputs
the acquired envelope data to the data thinning section 208.
[0033] In this embodiment, a sound ray data producing section 2b is
constituted by the beam forming section 206 and the envelope
detecting section 207 both of which are structured as mentioned
above.
[0034] The data thinning section 208 conducts data thinning with
regard to a distance direction (depth direction) of the envelope
data in accordance with an image size to be displayed on the
display 107 of the ultrasound image diagnostic apparatus main body
1. The logarithm converting section 209 performs a logarithmic
amplification to the input envelope data. At this time, adjustment
of a gain, a dynamic range, and the like may be performed. The
brightness converting section 210 performs an amplitude/brightness
conversion in order to quantize the magnitude of signals indicated
by the envelope data subjected to the logarithmic amplification
into 256 gradations, thereby producing B mode image data. That is,
the B mode image data expresses the strength of reception signals
with brightness. The pixel interpolating section 211 produces
interpolated pixel data being data of interpolating pixels arranged
in the azimuth direction of the B mode image data in accordance
with an image size to be displayed on the display 107 of the
ultrasound image diagnostic apparatus main body 1. The image memory
212 is constituted by, for example, semiconductor memories, such as
DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), and stores the B mode image
data and the interpolating pixel data transmitted from the pixel
interpolating section 211 in a unit of a frame. That is, the image
memory 212 can store the ultrasound diagnostic image data
constituted in a unit of a frame.
[0035] In this embodiment, the image producing section 2c is
constituted by the data thinning section 208, the logarithm
converting section 209, the brightness converting section 210, the
pixel interpolating section 211, and the image memory 212 which are
constituted as mentioned above.
[0036] The transmission data changeover control section 213 changes
over data input into the transmission data producing section 214 as
a target of a radio transmission by changing over the setting
position of the transmit data changeover switch 213a. Specifically,
when the transmit data changeover switch 213a is set at a position
"A", the transmission data changeover control section 213 inputs
the reception signals of respective channels output from the ADC
205b after being subjected to the A/D conversion as a target of
wireless transmission into the transmission data producing section
214. Further, when the transmit data changeover switch 213a is set
at a position "B", the transmission data changeover control section
213 inputs sound ray data output from the beam forming section 206
as a target of wireless transmission into the transmission data
producing section 214. Furthermore, when the transmit data
changeover switch 213a is set at a position "C", the transmission
data changeover control section 213 inputs ultrasound diagnostic
image data as a target of wireless transmission into the
transmission data producing section 214. In this way, in this
embodiment, a transmission target selecting section is constituted
by the transmission data changeover control section 213 and the
transmit data changeover switch 213a. Here, this embodiment is
constituted such that only one among switch-over conditions
mentioned below is selectively functioned. However, needless to
say, multiple switch-over conditions may be functioned.
[0037] The transmission data changeover control section 213 is
connected to a changeover switch 21. The changeover switch 21
outputs signals corresponding to the position of the switch to the
transmission data changeover control section 213. The transmission
data changeover control section 213 makes a signal from the
changeover switch 21 as a changeover condition, and can change the
position of the transmission data changeover switch 213a in
accordance with this.
[0038] Further, the transmission data changeover control section
213 is configured to detect a remaining quantity of the battery
201, makes the detection result of the remaining quantity as a
changeover condition, and can change the position of the
transmission data changeover switch 213a in accordance with the
remaining quantity. For example, when the transmission data
changeover control section 213 detects that the remaining quantity
of the battery 201 becomes 60% or less, the position of the
transmission data changeover switch 213a is set to "B", and when
the transmission data changeover control section 213 detects that
the remaining quantity of the battery 201 becomes 40% or less, the
position of the transmission data changeover switch 213a is set to
"A", whereby processing load is reduced so as to suppress the
consumption of the battery.
[0039] The transmission data producing section 214 produces
transmission data by converting the data input from the
transmission data changeover switch 213a into a predetermined
transmission form, and outputs the transmission data to the
wireless transmission and reception section 215. At this time, in
order to judge a wireless transmission state of the ultrasound
image diagnostic apparatus main body 1 and the ultrasound probe 2,
error correcting codes are added. In this regard, error correcting
codes may be made not to be added.
[0040] The wireless transmission and reception section 215 applies
a predetermined modulation process to the transmission data output
from the transmission data producing section 214, and wirelessly
transmits the resulting transmission data to the ultrasound image
diagnostic apparatus main body 1 via the antenna 216. Further, the
wireless transmission and reception section 215 receives the
transmission target designating information and transmission state
information both mentioned below wirelessly transmitted from the
ultrasound image diagnostic apparatus main body 1 via the antenna
216, demodulates the received information, and outputs the
demodulated information to the transmission data changeover control
section 213.
[0041] A voltage and operation clock control section 217 acting as
a power control section and an operation clock control section
limits the supply of power to the sound ray data producing section
2b and the image producing section 2c, or controls the frequency of
the operation clock signal supplied to the sound ray data producing
section 2b and the image producing section 2c in accordance with
the changeover position of the transmission data changeover switch
213a by the transmission data changeover control section 213. The
voltage and operation clock control section 217 can select one of
the limitation of the power supply and the control of the operation
clock frequency, and conducts the selected one. In this connection,
the embodiment may be made to provide only one of a power control
section to limit power supply and an operation clock control
section to control an operation clock frequency in place of the
voltage and operation clock control section 217. Further, the
embodiment may be made to provide none of the power control section
and the operation clock control section.
[0042] Now, description will be given for operations in the case
where supply of power is limited by the voltage and operation clock
control section 217.
[0043] When the transmission data changeover switch 213a is set at
the position "A" by the transmission data changeover control
section 213, the voltage and the operation clock control section
217 stops supply of power to the sound ray data producing section
2b and the image producing section 2c. That is, when reception
signals after being subjected to the A/D conversion are selected as
a wireless transmission target by the transmission data changeover
control section 213, the beam forming processing and the image
production processing become unnecessary. Accordingly, with the
stop of operations in respective sections to conduct the above
processing, power saving may be attained.
[0044] Moreover, similarly, when the transmission data changeover
switch 213a is set at the position "B" by the transmission data
changeover control section 213, the sound ray data are selected as
a wireless transmission target, and the image producing processing
by the image producing section 2c becomes unnecessary. Accordingly,
the voltage and operation clock control section 217 stops supply of
power to the image producing section 2c.
[0045] Meanwhile, when the transmission data changeover switch 213a
is set at the position "C" by the transmission data changeover
control section 213, the voltage and operation clock control
section 217 supplies power to both the sound ray data producing
section 2b and the image producing section 2c.
[0046] Next, description will be given for operations in the case
where control of operation clock frequency is conducted by the
voltage and operation clock control section 217.
[0047] When the transmission data changeover switch 213a is set at
the position "A" by the transmission data changeover control
section 213, the voltage and operation clock control section 217
changes the frequency of the operation clock signal supplied to the
sound ray data producing section 2b and the image producing.
section 2c from the usual drive frequency to the standby frequency
being a lower frequency than the drive frequency. Specifically, for
example, the above change can be realized by change over clock
signals output from a crystal oscillator from a frequency divider
circuit for the usual driver to a frequency divider circuit for
standby. For example, the standby frequency may set to 1/2 to 1/8
of the drive frequency. However, the standby frequency is not
limited to this example. By the above constitution, power saving
may be attained.
[0048] Further, similarly, when the transmission data changeover
switch 213a is set at the position "B" by the transmission data
changeover control section 213, the voltage and operation clock
control section 217 changes the frequency of the operation clock
signal supplied to the image producing section 2c from the usual
drive frequency to the standby frequency.
[0049] Meanwhile, when the transmission data changeover switch 213a
is set at the position "C" by the transmission data changeover
control section 213, the voltage and operation clock control
section 217 makes the frequency of the operation clock signal
supplied to both the sound ray data producing section 2b and the
image producing section 2c to the usual drive frequency.
[0050] As shown in FIG. 3, the ultrasound image diagnostic
apparatus main body 1 includes, for example, a wireless
transmission and reception section 101, an antenna 102, a beam
forming section 103, an image producing section 104, a memory
section 105, a DSC(Digital Scan Converter)106, a display 107, an
operation input section 108, and a control section 109.
[0051] The control section 109 includes, for example, a CPU
(Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM
(Random Access Memory). The control section 109 reads out various
processing programs, such as a system program memorized in the ROM,
develops the processing programs to the RAM, and conduct central
control for operations of respective sections of the ultrasound
image diagnostic apparatus S in accordance with the developed
programs.
[0052] The ROM is constituted by nonvolatile memories, such as
semi-conductor memories, etc. and memorizes system programs
corresponding to the ultrasound image diagnostic apparatus S,
various processing programs capable of being executed on the system
programs, and various data. These programs are stored with the form
of program codes readable by a computer, and the CPU performs
operations sequentially in accordance with the program code. The
RAM forms a work area in which various programs executed by the CPU
and data in association with these programs are stored
temporarily.
[0053] In accordance with instruction of the control section 109,
the wireless transmission and reception section 101 receives
transmission data wirelessly transmitted from the ultrasound probe
2 and demodulates the data. When the received transmission data are
reception signals of respective channels after being subjected to
the A/D conversion, the control section 109 instructs the wireless
transmission and reception section 101 so as to output the
demodulated transmission data to the beam forming section 103.
Further, when the received transmission data are sound ray data,
the control section 109 instructs the wireless transmission and
reception section 101 so as to output the demodulated transmission
data to the image producing section 104. Furthermore, when the
received transmission data are ultrasound diagnostic image data,
the control section 109 instructs the wireless transmission and
reception section 101 so as to output the demodulated transmission
data to the memory section 105.
[0054] Moreover, the wireless transmission and reception section
101 outputs the received transmission data to the control section
109. The control section 109 calculates the error ratio of data
based on the error correcting code added to this transmission data.
Here, an error ratio is an index which shows how many data are in
error in transmission data when the transmission data transmitted
wirelessly from the ultrasound probe 2 are received by the
ultrasound image diagnostic apparatus main body 1 That is, the
error ratio is a value which shows a ratio which transmission data
are in error during the wireless transmission from the ultrasound
probe 2 to the ultrasound image diagnostic apparatus main body 1
The control section 109 judges the transmission state between the
ultrasound image diagnostic apparatus main body 1 and the
ultrasound probe 2 from the calculated error ratio. The
transmission state is set, for example as three stages. The control
section 109 instructs the wireless transmission and reception
section 101 to wirelessly transmit transmission state information
indicating the judged transmission state to the ultrasound probe 2
via the antenna 102. The ultrasound probe 2 makes the received
transmission state information as a changeover condition and
conducts control in accordance with the received transmission state
information. For example, when the transmission state information
is information indicating that the transmission state is good, the
ultrasound probe 2 controls the transmission data changeover
control section 213 to change over the position of the transmission
data changeover switch 213a to "A". Further, when the transmission
state information is information indicating that the transmission
state is not good, the ultrasound probe 2 controls the transmission
data changeover control section 213 to change over the position of
the transmission data changeover switch 213a to "B". Furthermore,
when the transmission state information is information indicating
that the transmission state is bad, the ultrasound probe 2 controls
the transmission data changeover control section 213 to change over
the position of the transmission data changeover switch 213a to "C"
in accordance with the transmission state information. In this
case, further, the remaining quantity of the battery 201 mentioned
above is detected by the transmission data changeover control
section 213, and the position of the transmission data changeover
switch 213a may be changed over in accordance with the remaining
quantity. In addition, the control section 109 may be made to
perform the error correction of the transmission data based on the
error correcting code added to the transmission data.
[0055] The beam forming section 103 performs beam forming for the
reception signals of respective channels after being subjected to
the A/D conversion so as to produce sound ray data, and outputs the
sound ray data to the image producing section 104. Since the
procedures of the beam forming are same those in the beam forming
section 206 of the ultrasound probe 2, the detailed description
about the procedures of the beam forming are omitted.
[0056] The image producing unit 104 conducts envelope detection
processing, a logarithmic amplification, etc. for the sound ray
data produced by the beam forming section 103 and the ultrasound
probe 2, and further conducts the adjustment of a *mule range and
gain so as to convert the brightness, thereby producing B-mode
image data Subsequently, the B-mode image data produced in the
above ways are transmitted to the memory unit 105.
[0057] The memory unit 105 is constituted by, for example,
semiconductor memories, such as a DRAM, and memorizes the B-mode
image data transmitted from the image producing unit 104 in a unit
of a frame. With this, ultrasound diagnostic image data are
produced. Further, the memory unit 105 can memorize ultrasound
diagnostic image data produced in the ultrasound probe 2 in a unit
of a frame. Subsequently, the memorized ultrasound diagnostic image
data in the memory unit 105 is transmitted to the DSC 106 in
accordance with control of the control unit 109.
[0058] The DSC 106 converts the ultrasound diagnostic image data
received from the memory unit 105 into image signals corresponding
to the scan mode by television signals, and outputs them to the
display unit 107.
[0059] As the display unit 107, displays, such as a LCD (Liquid
Crystal Display), a CRT (Cathode-Ray Tube) display, an organic
electroluminescence (Electronic Luminescence) display, and a plasma
display may be applicable. The display unit 107 displays images on
a display screen in accordance with the image signals output from
the DSC 106. In this connection, in replace of a display device,
printing devices such as printers may be employed.
[0060] The operation inputting unit 108 is equipped with various
types of switches, buttons, trackballs, mouse, and keyboards, for
example, for performing input of commands to instruct start of
diagnosis and data with regard to personal information of objects
to be examined, and the operation inputting unit 108 outputs
operation signals to the control unit 109. A user can select the
target of data wirelessly transmitted from the ultrasound probe 2
via operations on the operation input section 108. The control
section 109 instructs in accordance with selection operation on the
operation inputting unit 108 the wireless transmission and
reception section 101 to wirelessly transmit the transmission
target designating information to designate data to be made as a
target of wireless transmission to the ultrasound probe 2 via the
antenna 102. The ultrasound probe 2 makes the received transmission
target designating information as a changeover condition, and can
change over the position of the transmission data changeover switch
213a by the transmission data changeover control section 213 in
accordance with the received transmission target designating
information.
[0061] The usability of the ultrasound probe 2 constituted in the
above way will be described.
[0062] As shown in FIG. 2, the reception data for each channel
having been subjected to the A/D conversion, the sound ray data,
and the ultrasound diagnostic image data are different in data
format from each other, and further different in data size from
each other. Therefore, they are also different in required
transmission rate. For example, consideration is taken for the case
where the reception data having been subjected to the A/D
conversion of each channel are transmitted wirelessly from the
ultrasound probe 2 to the ultrasound image diagnostic apparatus
main body 1. In the above case, when the number of channels is 192
CHs, the reception data having been subjected to the A/D conversion
per one channel are quantized into 14 bits and the sampling
frequency of reception signals is 60 MHz, an at least necessary
transmission rate becomes as follows.
192.times.14.times.60.times.10.sup.6=161.28 Gbps
[0063] Further, the reception signals of each channel are subjected
to the beam forming process, and in the case where the sound ray
data of 22 bit per one sample are wirelessly transmitted, an at
least necessary transmission rate becomes as follows.
22.times.60.times.10.sup.6=1320 Mbps
[0064] Furthermore, consideration is taken for the case where
ultrasound diagnostic image data are produced based on the sound
ray data and the resulting ultrasound diagnostic image data are
wirelessly transmitted. In the above case, on the supposition that
a screen size is set to vertical.times.horizontal:1000
dot.times.1000 dot, data size per one dot is set to 24 bit (8 bit
for each of RGB) in order to correspond to color Doppler method,
and a frame rate is set to 15 Frame/sec, an at least necessary
transmission rate becomes as follows.
24.times.1000.times.1000.times.15=360 Mbps
[0065] That is, if wireless transmission is conducted by use of
ultrasound diagnostic image data, the necessary transmission rate
becomes the smallest.
[0066] On the other hand, with regard to processing for reception
signals, such as a beam forming process, an envelope detection
process, a data thinning process, and a pixel interpolation
process, various techniques are applied on an apparatus by
manufacturers of ultrasound image diagnostic apparatus main body
and product models in order to distinguish from other apparatuses.
As mentioned above, in the ultrasound probe 2, the reception
signals are processed to be made to ultrasound diagnostic image
data, and then the ultrasound diagnostic image data are wirelessly
transmitted. This technique becomes advantageous in respect of a
transmission rate. However, in the ultrasound image diagnostic
apparatus main body-side, there is no chance to apply the
above-mentioned signal processing technique to the reception
signals. Such advantages on the apparatus main body side are not
utilized. Accordingly, for example, in the case where data can be
transmitted with a data format such as reception signal of each
channel to which the above-mentioned signal processing technique
can be applied, although a necessary transmission rate becomes
large, the degree of freedom in terms of signal processing at the
apparatus main body side increases, and the ultrasound probe is
made excellent in usability.
[0067] Moreover, as the number of processing processes for
reception signals increases, hardware resources used for the
processing increases and power consumption increases. For example,
in the ultrasound probe 2 in this embodiment, when a processing
load on the entire constitution shown in FIG. 2 is 100%, a
processing load on the transmitting and receiving section 2a is
40%, a processing load on a sound ray data producing section 2b is
20%, and a processing load on image producing section 2c is 40%.
Therefore, as the hardware resources are reduced, the processing
load is decreased. As a result, power consumption can be
reduced.
[0068] In this embodiment, since the ultrasound probe 2 is
constituted as mentioned above, a data format is changed over to
the optimum data format in consideration of a transmission rate,
power consumption, and the specification of an ultrasound image
diagnostic apparatus main body, and then the data can be wirelessly
transmitted with the optimum data format. As a result, the
ultrasound probe 2 is made excellent in general versatility.
[0069] Further, in this embodiment, the data format to be
transmitted wirelessly can be changed arbitrarily by selecting
operations in the changeover switch 21 and the ultrasound image
diagnostic apparatus main body 1 Therefore, in the case where the
apparatus main body applied with the ultrasound probe 2 in this
embodiment is, for example, a so-called high-end machine applied
with the high signal processing technique, a user can select a data
format arbitrarily in consideration of a transmission rate, power
consumption, diagnostic contents, etc.
[0070] As explained above, according to the embodiment of the
present invention, the transmitting and receiving section 2a
receives the ultrasound waves from an object, and acquires a
reception signal of each of multiple channels. The beam forming
section 206 performs the processing of beam forming for the
reception signal of each of multiple channels. The image producing
section 2c produces the ultrasound diagnostic image data to display
an ultrasound diagnostic image based on the reception signals
having been subjected to the processing of beam forming. The
transmission data changeover control section 213 and the
transmission data changeover switch 213a select one from at least
two of a reception signal of each of multiple channels, sound ray
data, and ultrasound diagnostic image data as a transmission
target. The wireless transmission and reception section 215
transmits the transmission target selected by the transmission data
changeover control section 213 and the transmission data changeover
switch 213a. As a result, it becomes possible to apply various
specifications of ultrasound image diagnostic apparatuses. Further,
a data format is changed over to the optimum data format in
consideration of a transmission rate, power consumption, and the
specification of an ultrasound image diagnostic apparatus main
body, and then the data can be transmitted with the optimum data
format. That is, the ultrasound probe 2 is made excellent in
general versatility.
[0071] Further, according to the embodiment of the present
invention, the transmission data changeover control section 213 and
the transmission data changeover switch 213a can select a
transmission target in accordance with operation of the changeover
switch 21. As a result, data can be transmitted with a data format
changed over in accordance with the utilization purpose of a user,
which results to be excellent in availability.
[0072] Furthermore, according to the embodiment of the present
invention, the transmission data changeover control section 213 and
the transmission data changeover switch 213a selects a transmission
target in accordance with a remaining quantity of electricity in a
battery 201. As a result, power consumption can be changed over in
accordance with a remaining quantity of electricity in a battery,
which results to be able to endure the examination conducted for a
long time.
[0073] Moreover, according to the embodiment of the present
invention, the transmission data changeover control section 213 and
the transmission data changeover switch 213a selects a transmission
target in accordance with a transmitting condition with the
ultrasound image diagnostic apparatus main body 1 being the
transmission destination of the transmission target. As a result,
data of reception signals can be transmitted with a data format of
a transmission rate changed over to be proper to a transmitting
condition, the reliability of data to be transmitted can be
enhanced, and further the transmission efficiency of data can be
enhanced.
[0074] Further, according to the embodiment of the present
invention, the wireless transmission and reception section 215
receives transmission signals from the ultrasound image diagnostic
apparatus main body 1 which is a transmission destination of a
transmission target. When the wireless transmission and reception
section 215 receives a transmission target instructing signal to
designate a transmission target from the ultrasound image
diagnostic apparatus main body 1, the transmission data changeover
control section 213 and the transmission data changeover switch
213a selects the transmission target corresponding to the received
transmission target designating signal. As a result, data can be
transmitted with a data format changed over in accordance with the
utilization purpose of a user or the specification of the apparatus
main body, and the ultrasound probe 2 is made excellent in
usability and general versatility.
[0075] Furthermore, according to the embodiment of the present
invention, the voltage and operation clock control section 217
selects a limiting target, to which supply of power is limited,
from the beam forming section 206 and the image producing section
2c based on the transmission target selected by the transmission
data changeover control section 213 and the transmission data
changeover switch 213a, and limits supply of power for the selected
limiting target. As a result, actions in the constitution not used
in the processing can be stopped, thereby attaining to save
electric power.
[0076] Moreover, according to the embodiment of the present
invention, the voltage and operation clock control section 217
selects a lowering target, to which a frequency of an operation
clock is lowered, from the beam forming section 206 and the image
producing section 2c based on the transmission target selected by
the transmission data changeover control section 213 and the
transmission data changeover switch 213a, and changes a frequency
of an operation clock supplied to the selected lowering target from
a prescribed driving frequency to a prescribed standby frequency
being a lower frequency than the driving frequency. As a result,
power consumption in the constitution not used in the processing
can be suppressed, thereby attaining to save electric power.
[0077] Herein, the description in the embodiment of the present
invention is one example of the ultrasound image diagnostic
apparatus according to the present invention, and the present
invention is not limited to this example. The detailed
constitutions and detailed operations of respective function
sections which constitute the ultrasound image diagnostic apparatus
can be changed appropriately.
[0078] Further, in the above embodiment, ID information which can
specify the specification of an ultrasound image diagnostic
apparatus main body is wirelessly transmitted to the ultrasound
probe 2, and the ultrasound probe 2 may be configured to change
transmission data corresponding to the specification of the
apparatus main body specified by the ID information.
[0079] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, one of three data
formats of the reception signals of each channel, sound ray data,
and ultrasound diagnostic image data is configured to be selected
as a transmission target. However, one of two data formats among
the reception signals of each channel, sound ray data, and
ultrasound diagnostic image data may be selected as a transmission
target. In addition, it may be constituted that a data format
different from the reception signals of each channel, sound ray
data, and ultrasound diagnostic image data may be selected as a
transmission target.
[0080] Moreover, in the above embodiment, image data in the B mode
are produced as the ultrasound diagnostic image data. However,
image data in the A mode and the M mode may be produced as the
ultrasound diagnostic image data. Further, image data produced by
the Doppler method may be used.
[0081] Moreover, in the above embodiment, transmission data are
wirelessly transmitted between the ultrasound image diagnostic
apparatus main body 1 and the ultrasound probe 2. However,
transmission data may be transmitted through a cable. For example,
it may be preferable to transmit data via serial transmission.
[0082] Moreover, in the above embodiment, the ultrasound probe
which transmits and receives ultrasound waves is used. However, a
receive-only ultrasound probe which conducts only receiving
reflected ultrasound waves without transmitting transmission
ultrasound waves.
* * * * *